Lion's Law - Open Your Eyes
Une Vie Pour Rien? / Contra Records
If you forget the, from time to time, poor English grammar on “A Day Will Come” it was without a doubt one of the best full-length debuts of 2013, even one of the best albums of that year if you ask me! Of course I am talking about Paris’ glory Lion’s Law, who released somewhat of a bust with the “Lafayette” EP (great songs obviously, but nothing new!) after their full-length LP, but made up for it richly with some great compilation contributions like “Our Generation” and “Hanging On The Corner” on the “Oi! Ain’t Dead 2” four-way split 10”. Now the French top boys take matter into their own hands again with the release of the long awaited follow up to “A Day Will Come”, the brand new 10” mini-album “Open Your Eyes”!
Initially the idea for “Open Your Eyes” was that it would be yet another 7” release, but the band's members changed their minds during the recording process and although a new three or four track EP was more than welcome as well, this was obviously a very positive change! We live in a consumer society after all and (a) bigger (format) and more (songs) is always better! So super-size my “Open Your Eyes” please and let’s ‘av it!
Lion’s Law latest output contains a total of seven brand new tracks plus an intro that picks it up directly where they left us when the final chords of “A Day Will Come” faded. With ultra-catchy melodies, powerful sing-alongs, roaring guitar solos and Wattie’s (no not Buchan) significant, mind you great, vocals these guys got me nailed to my speakers again with Oi! greatness! Literally every track (minus the instrumental intro) contains the above mentioned criteria making “Open Your Eyes” an absolute killer record, emphasizing these guys belong in the top of the European, fuck it worldwide, Oi! league with their new songs “Knock ‘Em Out”, “Rollin’”, “Skinhead”, “Into Your Veins”, “Out Of My Way”, “Laced Up” (little Matt Freeman inspired bass loop in there!) and the final, at the same time title-, track “Open Your Eyes” (fantastic lyrics and perhaps my new favorite Lion's Law song after "Lafayette" and "1789")!
I like my Oi! music in many variations, but this is superb in every single way! The fantastic melodies, the strong lyrics, the anthemic choruses, that guitar work... if you liked anything ever produced by Lion's Law before this 10", you will absolutely love "Open Your Eyes", no doubt about it!
So hell, I am just going to say it, knowing we are still early in 2015 (end of January when I write this), but “Open Your Eyes” might just be crowned as the best 10” release of this year already and I am in no way exaggerating! Some bands are ‘street smart’ in their sound and lyrics, but Lion’s Law is ‘street brilliant’ on this slab of wax and produced an absolute killer mini-LP! Do I need to say more? No sir, no ma'am, I do not!
